This application is a 371 of PCT/EP99/01519 filed Sep. 16, 1999.
In general, a multiplicity of variable optical functions are implemented with optical components. One example is optical isolators in chip designs, which are transparent to light beams only in one direction. By means of optical components, light beams are relatively frequently controlled in such a way that they are deflected at an angle. For example, optical scanners exist in which light beams can be conducted over an area by rotating mirrors. A further example is optical relay circuits, which make it possible to couple the path of the light in a polymer or glass fiber optionally into different branches.
Conventional optical components of this type have previously been implemented either by means of mechanical/micromechanical elements (tiltable mirrors or moving lenses/beam splitters etc.) or by the use of optical materials that can be controlled electrically, magnetically or thermally.
However, because of their complexity, the abovementioned conventional mechanical embodiments, in particular if miniaturized, can be produced only with great difficulty, and are therefore very expensive and demand an unsatisfactorily high amount of energy, even in a miniaturized embodiment. When tiltable mirrors are used, for example, in addition the maximum deflection angle of the light beam to be controlled is limited to less than 30xc2x0 in conventional optical components.
The use of optical substances that can be controlled electrically, magnetically or thermally requires the suitable selection of very specific and very expensive materials, for which reason conventional optical components of this type are undesirably expensive. In addition, such materials suitable for optical control have only a limited temperature stability and are therefore unreliable in terms of their mode of operation.
In view of the above disadvantages of the prior art, the object of the present invention is to provide optical components which are suitable for controlling light beams and can be produced simply and cheaply, even in mass production and in miniaturized form, and can be constructed for any desired deflection angle of light beams.